Bursary Officer in Preston

Reporting to: Head of Finance

Help students access the financial support they need to succeed.

Winstanley College is one of the country's leading Sixth Form Colleges, renowned for its academic excellence, outstanding student support and welcoming community. We are looking for an organised, compassionate and highly motivated Student Finance & Bursary Officer to join our Finance and Student Services teams.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys combining financial administration with meaningful customer service. You will play a key role in ensuring that students receive the financial support they need, helping to remove barriers to education and enabling young people to achieve their full potential.

About the Role

You will take responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the College's 16-19 Bursary Fund and Free College Meals schemes, ensuring applications are assessed fairly, accurately and in line with government guidance.

Working closely with colleagues across Finance, Student Services, Attendance and Pastoral teams, you will:

• Assess student eligibility for financial support.
• Provide advice and guidance to students, parents and carers.
• Maintain accurate financial records and supporting evidence.
• Prepare payment schedules and authorise bursary payments.
• Monitor attendance requirements linked to bursary awards.
• Produce reports and ensure compliance with audit requirements.
• Liaise with external agencies and internal stakeholders to support students effectively.
• Help maintain an excellent student experience through professional, responsive customer service.

This is a varied role that combines finance, administration and student support in a fast-paced educational environment.

We're looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Confident working with financial information and confidential data.
• Able to interpret policies and apply them consistently.
• An excellent communicator with strong customer service skills.
• Comfortable working independently whilst contributing positively within a team.
• Able to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Experience of working within education, student finance, benefits administration, local government or a similar environment would be advantageous, although applications are welcomed from candidates with transferable skills and a willingness to learn., If you are looking for a rewarding role where your organisational skills, financial accuracy and commitment to excellent customer service can have a real impact on students' lives, we'd love to hear from you.

At Winstanley College you'll become part of a supportive and ambitious organisation that puts students at the heart of everything we do.

• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Generous holiday entitlement.
• Excellent professional development opportunities.
• A collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Flexible working arrangements where operationally possible.
• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of young people.